India Open 2026: PV Sindhu backs IGI Stadium for BWF World Championships after exit, dismisses 'poor facility' claim
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "India Open 2026: PV Sindhu backs IGI Stadium for BWF World Championships after exit, dismisses 'poor facility' claim")
India Open 2026: PV Sindhu backs IGI Stadium for World Championships after exit, dismisses 'poor facility' claim Photograph: (BWF)
Playing at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, PV Sindhu lost to Nguyen Thùy Linh of Vietnam in the opening round but dismissed calls of poor facilities at the venue.
It was a day to forget for India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu on Wednesday (Jan 14) after she exited the ongoing India Open 2026. Playing against Nguyen Thùy Linh of Vietnam, Sindhu lost 20-22, 21-12, 21-15 and failed to build on the momentum gained in Malaysia, where she was the losing semifinalist. After the match, she opened up on the facilities at the Indira Gandhi Indoor (IGI) Stadium in New Delhi, which have been under criticism for a lack of facilities.
Sindhu backs IG Stadium for World Championships
Playing at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Sindhu lost to her opponent in the opening round but dismissed calls of poor facilities at the venue. She backed the venue for the BWF World Championships, which will be hosted later in the year. According to her facilities at the venue are fine and look good for an even bigger tournament.
“It's a very big stadium and I find the facilities are fine and I mean, on court we're playing well. I really don’t think anything we are lacking in facilities. Overall, the conditions look fine for me to play here at the Indira Gandhi Stadium,” Sindhu said while answering WION after her exit in the opening round of the India Open 2026.
“This is the first time we're playing here. I have played at the other venue (KD Jadhav Stadium), which was fine and right now, I just finished the match. I find these facilities good as well. I heard that the World Championships are also being hosted here, so it’s a good venue to have it. It's a good trial in a way, I would say,” Sindhu added.
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Earlier, Danish world No. 20 shuttler Mia Blichfeldt on Tuesday described the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium as "dirty", "unhealthy" and "not normal". However, Sindhu's comments on Tuesday mean those claims no longer stay irrelevant.
